Full Papers should report on substantial and original research that advances Participatory Design. Papers must present unpublished research and are not allowed to be under concurrent review with other conferences, journals, or venues.

Full Papers should be written in English and should not be longer than 8500 words (excluding references). All contributions must use the ACM recommended templates and be anonymised for blind peer review.

• For Microsoft Word users:
  Please follow the ACM instructions for preparing your submission with Word. In the section titled “The ACM Article Template: Using Microsoft Word”, you will find the link to download the Word submission template.

• For LaTeX users:
  Please refer to the ACM instructions for preparing your submission with LaTeX. In the section titled “The ACM Article Template: Using LaTeX”, you will find the link to download the LaTeX template files.

Full Papers undergo a two-round blind peer review process, with each paper reviewed by three reviewers.* The same reviewers assess the paper in both rounds. After the first round, papers will either be rejected, invited to resubmit as Exploratory Papers, or asked to resubmit with minor or major revisions for the second Full Paper review round. The review period for the first round is from June 20 to August 25, 2025. While the review period for the second round is from October 17 to November 21, 2025. The time allocated for authors to submit revisions between the first and second round of Full Paper review is from August 30 to October 16, 2025.

*Historically, PDC considers all reviewers to be Program Committee members.

Exploratory Papers provide early formative insights from theory or practice that could be further elaborated at a later stage. Exploratory Papers can be submitted on any topic or issue of relevance to participatory design theory, practice or methods, however, PDC 2026 is especially interested in soliciting submissions that relate to the conference themes.

Exploratory Papers should present original ideas and research that aim to expand the field of Participatory Design. Papers must present unpublished research and are not allowed to be under concurrent review with other conferences, journals, or venues.

Exploratory Papers should be written in English and should not be longer than 4000 words (excluding references). All contributions must use the ACM recommended templates and be anonymised for blind peer review.

• For Microsoft Word users:
  Please follow the ACM instructions for preparing your submission with Word. In the section titled “The ACM Article Template: Using Microsoft Word”, you will find the link to download the Word submission template.

• For LaTeX users:
  Please refer to the ACM instructions for preparing your submission with LaTeX. In the section titled “The ACM Article Template: Using LaTeX”, you will find the link to download the LaTeX template files.

Exploratory Papers undergo a one-round blind peer review process, with each paper reviewed by two reviewers.* The review period for Exploratory Papers is from October 17 to November 21, 2025.

*Historically, PDC considers all reviewers to be Program Committee members.

Workshops at PDC26 are conceived as sites of encounter: temporary yet generative spaces where knowledge is not only shared but actively co-produced through active, participatory engagement.

We invite proposals that take this opportunity seriously: workshops should foster meaningful interaction among participants through formats such as codesign, discussion groups, speculative prototyping, performative tactics, handson group work, and more. Whether focused on methods, theory, activism, practice, or experimentation, workshops should offer spaces for collective exploration, situated inquiry, and critical engagement with the theme of living together.

We are particularly interested in workshop formats that support deep engagement and participant agency, activating all those involved to reflect, contribute, and shape the session together. Workshops may bring together diverse participants to imagine and make: from researchers to practitioners, from community organisers to policy makers, enabling collaboration across disciplines, geographies, and roles. Proposals should clearly articulate the intended outcomes or takeaways for participants, whether in the form of shared tools, insights, prototypes, frameworks, or seeds for future collaboration.

Workshop proposals can be submitted on any topic or issue of relevance to participatory design theory, practice, or methods. However, PDC 2026 is especially interested in soliciting submissions that open up engagement, exploration and reflection in topics related to the conference themes.

Each workshop should be proposed by a minimum of two and up to five convenors. Workshop proposals must be submitted through the Conftool system, use the official ACM templates, and be written in English. The proposal must not exceed 2500 words and must be limited to a maximum of 4 pages total, including references.

• For Microsoft Word users:
  Please follow the ACM instructions for preparing your submission with Word. In the section titled “The ACM Article Template: Using Microsoft Word”, you will find the link to download the Word submission template.

• For LaTeX users:
  Please refer to the ACM instructions for preparing your submission with LaTeX. In the section titled “The ACM Article Template: Using LaTeX”, you will find the link to download the LaTeX template files.

To view the required contents to submit a workshop proposal, the workshop review criteria, and detailed submission information, please view the Workshop Call here.

The PDC 2026 Doctoral Colloquium offers current Ph.D. students working in the field of Participatory Design a dedicated space for discussion and networking during the conference. (Note: applicants must be enrolled as Ph.D. students at the time of submission).

This colloquium is an opportunity for emerging researchers to share what matters most in their research journeys, engage in meaningful dialogue, and collaboratively explore ways to address key challenges. Participants will present their work, exchange experiences, and receive constructive feedback and support from both peers and experienced scholars.

We welcome submissions on any topic relevant to participatory design theory, practice, or methodology. We particularly encourage contributions that engage with the conference themes.

Submissions must be made via the Conftool system, using the ACM templates detailed below. Proposals will be evaluated based on their quality and relevance to participatory design. We aim to ensure diversity in disciplinary backgrounds, research stages, and cultural perspectives.

Submissions should be written in English, should not be anonymized, and should be 3000 words or at least 17000 characters (excluding references).

• For Microsoft Word users:
  Please follow the ACM instructions for preparing your submission with Word. In the section titled “The ACM Article Template: Using Microsoft Word”, you will find the link to download the Word submission template.

• For LaTeX users:
  Please refer to the ACM instructions for preparing your submission with LaTeX. In the section titled “The ACM Article Template: Using LaTeX”, you will find the link to download the LaTeX template files.

To view the required contents to submit a Doctoral Colloquium proposal and details on participation and preparation, please view the Doctoral Colloquium Call here.

PDC 2026 invites expressions of interest in hosting PDC Places—decentralised, place-based events that will run in the months leading up to the main conference in Milan.

For a detailed overview of PDC Places, including their purpose, themes, guiding questions, timeline, and available support, please see the full PDC Places Call here.

PDC Places should include a written submission of no more than 4 pages, including references, following the ACM templates (see details below). The submission should describe the vision and intention behind the proposed Place with a Place Description and a Practical Overview. To view detailed information about the Place Description and Practical Overview, please see the full PDC Places Call here.

Proposals should also briefly address any ethical considerations, including how they will approach consent, care, and data privacy.

Proposals must be written in English, follow the ACM recommended templates below, and will be reviewed by the PDC Places Chairs (non-blind review).

• For Microsoft Word users:
  Please follow the ACM instructions for preparing your submission with Word. In the section titled “The ACM Article Template: Using Microsoft Word”, you will find the link to download the Word submission template.

• For LaTeX users:
  Please refer to the ACM instructions for preparing your submission with LaTeX. In the section titled “The ACM Article Template: Using LaTeX”, you will find the link to download the LaTeX template files.

The PDC 26 will host a series of Situated Actions (SA) dedicated to the conference themes of Peace, Dialogue and Coexistence.

The selected SA are expected to work as a platform where authors, the PDC community and local communities engage with and learn from each other, while addressing the main topics of the conference.

Possible formats for the SA include (but not limited to) performance (dance, theatre, live music…), audiovisual (music, sound, digital arts, podcast…), movement, walking, literature, games, workshops, prototyping. Each SA will be enacted with the local participants, including small groups and one-to-one interactions.

The SA can happen in two ways:

1. SA before the conference, occurring at any location worldwide. At PDC 26 their documentations will be showcased.

2. SA during the conference, happening live in Milan. Information on the spaces/communities will be given after the short text will be selected (e.g community gardens, cultural centres, public squares, etc.).

To view the application process, templates, and deadlines please download the SA call here.